Drum throne position

[Doc_d]

I've been looking at my throne position lately. I'm right handed. I had been playing with the throne slightly to the right of the center of the snare. That means I was slightly angled to the left compared to my kit.

I recently moved my throne directly in line with my snare. I'm torn. The distance to the ride and floor tom have increased a little bit. But I don't need to twist at all to play them. So that seems much more natural. But now my foot doesn't line up with the bass drum pedal. Since I'm at exactly the same angle as my bass drum and when your legs are a natural distance apart your feet tend to splay outwards.

So I'm curious. Do you play slightly angled to your kit so your bass drum foot lines up with the pedal or do you play exactly straight on with your kit and just deal with the angle of your foot being a little different than your pedal?

[Northern Redneck]

Turn your kickdrum slightly.

[pastor_bob]

Doc, what was your motivation for moving the throne to the new position? Was it uncomfortable before, or did you feel that it just didn't look "right" somehow? If you simply wanted to face forward, then NR has the perfect idea. No matter what anyone else does, you have to be comfortable behind your kit.

[Doc_d]

I found the "birds-eye picture" thread in the drumset forum. Browsing through those overhead picture I'd say it looks like the vast majority of right handed drummers with a single bass slightly offset their throne to the right of the snare centerline which was my original setup.

[Constinator25]

I don't angle my kick. If I do, the beater comes back and hits the top of my foot.

[Doc_d]

Doc, what was your motivation for moving the throne to the new position? Was it uncomfortable before, or did you feel that it just didn't look "right" somehow? If you simply wanted to face forward, then NR has the perfect idea. No matter what anyone else does, you have to be comfortable behind your kit.

I remember watching a video when I first got my drumset. I think it was Dom Famularo or someone like that. He was adamant that you should NOT sit at an angle to your kick. I knew the way I had been sitting (angled) was the most comfortable, but I figured I might be forming a bad habit.

The suggestion to angle the kick really is the same thing as sitting at an angle to your kick. Either way you end up angled to your kick.

After looking at a lot of setups, I've decided that most people do indeed sit at an angle to their kit so that their bass drum foot lines up correctly with the bass drum pedal. I'm not sure why they were so adamant in the video that you shouldn't do that. I'm going to have to go back and see if I can find that video because maybe in my newbishness I misinterpreted it.

[emac]

I remember watching a video when I first got my drumset. I think it was Dom Famularo or someone like that. He was adamant that you should NOT sit at an angle to your kick. I knew the way I had been sitting (angled) was the most comfortable, but I figured I might be forming a bad habit.

The suggestion to angle the kick really is the same thing as sitting at an angle to your kick. Either way you end up angled to your kick.

After looking at a lot of setups, I've decided that most people do indeed sit at an angle to their kit so that their bass drum foot lines up correctly with the bass drum pedal. I'm not sure why they were so adamant in the video that you shouldn't do that. I'm going to have to go back and see if I can find that video because maybe in my newbishness I misinterpreted it.

They may have been trying to make sure the newbie drummers angle doesn't become extreme or actually offset from the centerline of the bass drum. Look at the double bass drummers (the guys with 2 actual bass drums) they are never directly behind either bass drum. Another thing you can try, is to take just your throne and snare drum into the middle of the room, then set your snare comfortably between your legs and look where your feet are at naturally. Then set up around that configuration. Like all the others stated, you need to be comfortable or it can be a long night.

[pastor_bob]

They may have been trying to make sure the newbie drummers angle doesn't become extreme or actually offset from the centerline of the bass drum. Look at the double bass drummers (the guys with 2 actual bass drums) they are never directly behind either bass drum. Another thing you can try, is to take just your throne and snare drum into the middle of the room, then set your snare comfortably between your legs and look where your feet are at naturally. Then set up around that configuration. Like all the others stated, you need to be comfortable or it can be a long night.

I agree with emac. Another way to approach it, if you want your bass drum facing straight forward, is to take your bass drum and throne, and sit comfortably behind your bass drum, with it facing straight forward. Then you can see where your snare should sit, and where your left foot falls for the best placement of the hi-hat stand.

[late8]

I've been looking at my throne position lately. I'm right handed. I had been playing with the throne slightly to the right of the center of the snare. That means I was slightly angled to the left compared to my kit.

I recently moved my throne directly in line with my snare. I'm torn. The distance to the ride and floor tom have increased a little bit. But I don't need to twist at all to play them. So that seems much more natural. But now my foot doesn't line up with the bass drum pedal. Since I'm at exactly the same angle as my bass drum and when your legs are a natural distance apart your feet tend to splay outwards.

So I'm curious. Do you play slightly angled to your kit so your bass drum foot lines up with the pedal or do you play exactly straight on with your kit and just deal with the angle of your foot being a little different than your pedal?

I'm turned at the 11:00 o'clock position slightly favoring my HiHat stand with my right bass drum pedal facing straight on a 4pc and slightly angled to the right on the double bass kit


Regardless of what kit I'm playing, I always start with #1-HH #2-snare #3-right bass drum #4- Ride cymbal. For double bass drums, I follow the same routine and squeeze in the second bass drum as close to my HiHat stand as possible. My throne is lowered all of the way down to keep my thighs level with the floor and I sit just a bit off set.

[Wavelength]

Your setup should start with your throne. Sit comfortably and with good posture, and place your feet symmetrically and slightly spread on the floor. Place your pedals under your feet and the snare drum between your legs. Your snare should be right in front of you, while the hi-hat is to your left and the bass drum is pointing to your right. Place the rest of the kit around these basic parameters -- the placement of the throne, the snare and the pedals are non-negotiable! Everything else can be adapted to, but the previous fundamentals will make or break your playing posture, balance and relaxation.

[almostmatt1]

late8, that top picture was the one of your drumkit that u took the wrap off, right? the ludwig? its looks sooooo beautiful man
anyway. my drum setup begins with my throne. i make sure that my pedals are exactly right position befora even adjusting them or anything. then i put my snare and floor tom in place. take your time. and put everything where it feels right. itll take a while, but its time worth spending.

[late8]

late8, that top picture was the one of your drumkit that u took the wrap off, right? the ludwig? its looks sooooo beautiful man
anyway. my drum setup begins with my throne. i make sure that my pedals are exactly right position befora even adjusting them or anything. then i put my snare and floor tom in place. take your time. and put everything where it feels right. itll take a while, but its time worth spending.

Yes, That's the kit took the wrap off, thanks for the compliment.